Summer vacation took on a new meaning for The Gillespie Group. The New Jersey-based commercial flooring company completed flooring installation at Elizabeth Elementary School.
Lewis Millanis, facilities director for the Elizabeth School District, wanted a fresh look for the school’s corridor floors that could withstand heavy foot traffic from students and faculty. In addition to durability, other requirements for the school included slip-resistance and low maintenance. The Gillespie Group, a member of the New Jersey State Approved Co-Op of The Educational Services Commission of New Jersey (ESCNJ), was awarded the project and provided a flooring recommendation based on experience in the education sector.
John Gillespie, vice president of operations for The Gillespie Group states, “Whenever working on a school flooring project, we look beyond the immediate functional requirements and consider factors such as long-term durability, heavy foot traffic, aesthetics and safety, which all have an influence on the recommendations we make.”
The Gillespie Group recommended the AcryliCon Flake system, a 2- to 3-millimeter thick flooring containing decorative flakes within its chemically-bonded coating. It has a similar look to Terrazzo flooring, but with less cost and maintenance required.
AcryliCon is designed for heavy foot traffic and moderate industrial environments, and can last up to 30 years. It also is authorized to incorporate Microban antimicrobial chemistry into the resin formula for a lifetime of bacteria fighting properties. AcryliCon features a cure time of less than two hours, minimizing downtime, an issue for most school projects. As a result of these properties, more and more schools are considering AcryliCon flooring. The Elizabeth School was one of three New Jersey school projects completed by The Gillespie Group using AcryliCon flooring. Flooring projects for Bedwell Elementary School and John F. Kennedy Elementary School were also completed.
Unique Challenges
Gillespie worked with Millanis to develop a logistics plan to address three key issues during implementation. First, students in the building were attending summer classes, which required working the project in sections and shifting the students to alternate areas of the school as each section was completed. Second, the project required removal of the existing epoxy flooring system, and prefilling of cracks prior to the AcryliCon application. Finally, the installation timeline had to revolve around the school’s schedule; the project had to be completed before fall classes began.
High Marks
The flooring in the school hallways was completed in advance of the start of fall classes, and Millanis and Elizabeth school board administrators were pleased with the results. Millanis comments, “The AcryliCon flooring gave us an updated look. Students, faculty, and even parents have commented on it. The professionalism, organization and capabilities of The Gillespie Group from inception to project completion were evident. They did an outstanding job.”
The Gillespie Group is a certified installer of AcryliCon. The company works on projects throughout the eastern half of the U.S. An authorized AcryliCon installer since 2011, The Gillespie Group has completed more than 60 AcryliCon projects in the past five years.